Pleasure Doing Business
The Devilish Hero: Archfiend. Or that's what they began to call him once he made himself known. And of course he accepted it! Its so much easier than thinking of an actual name to become known by. Either way, the Fiendish Hero soared throughout the night sky, his bat-like wings releasing powerful gust with each gigantic flap. Yet his eight foot body maneuvered as if lighter than the air itself. Night was the best time for Archfiend to conduct his heroics. Although he enjoyed the lack of publicity and fake fans interrupting his patrols, sunlight wasn't the best friend to either his eyesight. From his devilish visage to the stone skin covered in cracks, it all fit better in darkness as opposed to daytime when children could see. Still, he enjoyed these midnight flights throughout the city. He twisted and turned. Spinning over and under the signs which sat atop the buildings. Archfiend danced upon the wind, leaving nothing but the whispers of his wings behind. That doesn't look right. His sharp eyes picked up a brightened glow radiating in the distance. Looks like time to get to work! He darted towards the burning building. It took nothing more than several minutes for the eight foot giant to land atop the nearest rooftop. True to his name, the Fiendish Hero's eyesight was able to pierce through the darkness of night. Allowing him to see the firemen beneath him attempt to tame the fire. Heroes who were blessed with water based quirks tried their hardest to also assist in their efforts. But to no avail. The chemical plant is on fire. Which means that this fire is much hotter than normal flames. Archfiend thought to himself. I doubt Scoville is going to be here anytime soon... Especially if it ain't got shit to do with drugs or gangs. Looks like I'm up. Archfiend knew he could handle the intensity of the flames. "There's still people inside!" A man screamed from below. "My colleagues who went up there to make sure our precious work weren't lost!" "Please save them!" Another woman screamed. The crowd that gathered like moths to a flame grew in size. "We can't go in! The flames are too strong. We'll try to weaken them but...but it might be too late." The head of the firemen screamed. "Looks like I'm up." Archfiend sighed. He leapt off the building and glided to the open balcony across the massive street. He slid the door open. A fiery explosion, as air was introduced, boomed outward with a tremendous force. Archfiend covered his eyes with his arm while continuing onward. The scorching explosion dancing past his stoney skin as he entered the room. "Is anyone here?!" Archfiend yelled over the roaring flames. "W-we're over here." A woman struggled. He could hear the blood escaping each time to coughed. "We're trapped by the fire! Help us! Please!" "I'm coming!" The towering rookie hero made his way pass the heavy machinery and even stepped over delicate tools in order to avoid breaking them. He made sure to monitor his breathing as to avoid suffocation, as the thick smoke was much worst than he thought it'd be. When he finally reached the entrapped scientist, they reminded Archfiend of another reason why he preferred nighttime task. "The devil! OH god! Oh god! Help us! Whoever it was that was here help us!" The glasses wearing scientist screamed. Her colleagues joined her in the symphony of terror. "Save us!" One begged. "Oh god please don't kill me...I don't wanna die!" Another screamed. "There's a hero here! He'll save us!" "I'm the hero that's here." Archfiend said as he tried to calm them down. He attempted to reach out to them but they leapt backwards at the sight of his sharp claws. Their screams and pleas drowning the intense flames that surrounded the four. "Know what," Archfiend groaned while taking several menacing steps forward. "I'm not dealing with this tonight." The fiendish hero raised his massive hands and struck them each on their head. Quick strikes which left their body limp. "Ungrateful asses." He lifted the soon-to-be overcooked scientist over his shoulders and held the woman in his arms. A swift kick to the wall revealed an opening from which he leapt. His wings quickly straightened out, allowing him to glide around the burning building where he landed before the cacophony of heroes and firefighters. "W-who are you?! Did you cause this you fiend!" A man screamed while attempting to tame the wild hose. "Someone call for a hero! Things've gotten worst. A villain!" "This man is a fiend. But he didn't cause the fire." An old man said proudly. Archfiend turned his head to the source of the older voice. A man emerged from the group of firefighters dressed in a suit. The devilish hero could do naught but smile at the sight of the head of the firehouse. As someone else who preferred the night shifts, the two became quite familiar with one another. "This young whippersnapper is actually the infamous rookie hero. The Fiendish Hero: Archfiend. Thank you for your assistance tonight. We can now just let this building burn without sacrificing too much time." "It's no problem Mister Faust." Archfiend responded. He handed the limp damsels over to the proper medical authorities. "Sorry about that, they wouldn't let me near them otherwise." "Totally understood. I mean look at you! I'd think you were death incarnate!" "T-that's nice to know." Ezekiel said with a slight grin. "Well, can you guys handle the fire from here?" "Yeah, that hotshot pepper hero should be on his way soon. You should stay around and-" "Thanks but no thanks." Archfiend said with a polite reluctance. "When two upcoming heroes are near each other, then people want to have team ups and what not. Plus, hothead tends to cramp my style. I'm not one to make a scene during my bust." "Well we greatly appreciate your work here. Even if some don't vocally agree." Mister Faust replied. Archfiend scratched the back of his head nervously. He wasn't great at taking compliments or gratitude. "A-anytime. I-i have to go!" Archfiend jumped into the air, his giant wings leaving a gust which knocked the hats of those in his immediate vicinity. It took only a minute before the Fiendish Hero was gone into the night. Somebody Save Me Another year of studying and chasing after fever dreams. Maybe he didn't have a quirk like the others...His classmates often said that his power was good for nothing but running away. And he believed them. It lacked physical capabilities, making him one of the least offensive oriented prospects. Followed by its utter uselessness as a defensive quirk, Noah found himself struggling to retain relevance within the hero world. Noah could only run away at the speed of light; a glorified tattletale meant only to spread information from place to place! He dreamed of being a great hero like his idol Stargazer. But Stargazer was able to decimate an entire hero hideout in under several seconds. Noah lacked even an ounce of that kind of destructive power. But tonight, Noah swore to prove himself different To show the world that even a quirk as useless as his own could allow someone to become the greatest hero. There were rumors of a mysterious group of people targeting transformation and mutant quirk users. Teachers told students of his school who possessed these gifts to remain wary. Even canceling several important trips and after-school activities in order to ensure the students safety. Surely deducing and finding the culprits behind these crimes meant the fame he desired. And so, Noah went about gathering information. Noah's snooping, which involved using his quirk to break into his professor's home, lead him to a trucking lot in Queens. One of the largest cargo companies south of the border surely serve as an amazing disguise. Shipments coming in and out. No two trucks in the same space more than two nights in a row, just how many targets were shipped from here without the world's knowledge? Regardless, he approached the electrified fence while crouching low. He wore his normal jeans and t-shirt under a button up shirt, leaving his costume at home in fear of needing a quick escape. "If the document on Mr. Four-eyes compute is right, there's reasonable suspicion that this is where the criminals are hiding out. But why haven't the authorities or police shown up?" He stood before the electrified fence and took a deep breath. He didn't need to fight anyone, just gather enough evidence to help the authorities build a investigation against this place. And come on Noah, you haven't meant anyone faster than you. A blink. And Noah stood on the other side of the fence. He immediately resumed crouching and started towards the nearby cargo. He pulled out a stethoscope and held it to the giant container in an attempt to hear anything. Nothing. He continued to the next piece and repeated the process. If he could find anything- Muffled screams! Noah's eyes shot open. He immediately snuck around to the opening of the casing and held the lock. It was an electronic piece with a vibrating hum. A red line bouncing back and forth upon its screen. "Dammit. This isn't something a 10th level lock-pick on Demon Souls can break. There has to be something to break it." He said in a hush whisper. "Hello! Hello! You have to save us! I'm scared...Please...I just want to see my mommy and daddy again!" A little girl screamed. "I'm here. I'm here..I just need you to remain calm. Everything is going to be okay." Noah whispered. "A-are you a hero?" "S-something like that." Noah pulled out a steel pick from his bag. There has to be a way to override this. Most electronic gadgets have a physical failsafe in case something goest wrong. Especially in a place like this." He scoured the lock in order to find something. Anything. "Well. Well. Well. What do we have here." A man's voice caused Noah to jump. So preoccupied with the lock he failed to notice the group of thugs which gathered behind him. The biggest the mixture of a pug and a bodybuilder. He was surrounded by a hand of smaller henchmen. Each foaming at the mouth for some excitement. "Dammit!" Noah cursed. "What're you doing here?!' "That's our question brat." A smaller thug barked. "There I am watching the camera and all I see is some blonde haired trespasser tryna infiltrate our lil business." "What ya want us to do with him boss!?" Another asked. "Kill him." All it took was those two words for the thugs to pull out their firearms. An assortment of guns which could only be found in the black market. A ray of light. Noah appeared atop the cargo behind them. He could only think one thing. Escape. He heard their confused uttering from behind. "What the?!" "A transformation quirk!" "He's faster than our bullets!" "Capture him alive. He'll make a good addition for The Business Man. A lil something extra as a show of good partnership!" ''I can't fight them. I can't fight them. They have guns. Real guns! This is nothing like combat training. And I'm failing combat training! Noah ran down the massive container in what he hoped was the right direction. He could feel the little girl crying out for him even though he ran away. I-i'm sorry I'm so weak. I'm so sorry. I'll return with help. I have to survive so I can get help. Please forgive me! He silently prayed. Noah jumped to the ground and hid behind another cargo. He grabbed his cell from his pocket and attempted to dial 911. "Hello! Hello!" He whispered. "Please send help. I'm at the trucking storage on Park Ave. Please send help immediately. I found the missing children." "Hello..Hello...911 Emergency. Hello. This is 911 emergency. What's your location sir. Suddenly two massive arms wrapped themselves around Noah. His phone dropped against the earth. He could still hear the woman attempting to establish the conversation. "Did you think we wouldn't place jammers around the area?" Mad Dawg jumped from above Noah. His massive body leaving a crack beneath him. "Come on, we not as stupid as we look. Now come along. We ain't tryna hurt the merch." He approached the poor boy, stepping on his phone in the process. What was once a thousand dollar device had become nothing more than a thousand bits and pieces from the immense weight. "F-fuck you." Noah managed. The giant dogman's massive paw slammed against his head. Enough force that Noah tasted blood. Hell, he felt his jaw almost break from the monstrous strike. I have to get out of here. A ray of light shot from where Noah stood towards another container. But from it appeared both Noah and the man who held him captive. "Oh! What an amazing power!" The man behind him screamed. "But it seems ya helped me figure out your quirk. You can turn travel at lightspeed by turning into light! But it also transforms anything touching ya. Meaning once someone gots ya you're fucked!" He squeezed harder. Noah screamed as his bones almost reached their breaking point. The man's inhuman strength enough to cause his body to go limp from the immense pain. His captor jumped from the container with Noah on his shoulder. "Where ya want this one?" "Put him on the container heading to tha island. The others are just for the run of the mill. He'll make tha Business Man real happy alongside that lynx brat." Mad Dawg approached Noah and picked up his head by his hair. "Put some of those fancy GPS cuffs on him too. Can't risk him losing us." It had to be several hours. Noah awoke in a dimly lit container surrounded by adults and children alike. Some with animalistic mutations and others completely inhuman. Next to him was the little girl who he recognized from before. One born with a lynx-like mutation. "Mister, are you a hero?" She asked worriedly. "I..." Noah rubbed his head. Suddenly the memories of what transpired earlier rushed all at once. Yeah. He had been captured alongside the others. Another victim in this heinous scheme. He wanted to freak out and scream. I can't...I have to remain strong. I got myself in this situation...There has to be a way out. Someone is coming. Someone has to be coming. "Yes. I made a mistake but I have someone coming to save us." Noah said. The beauty of his quirk is that he didn't need to wear a costume. He went from an eight foot devil to a chocolate skinned future hotelier dressed in a white shirt, blazer and black jeans in under a second. However, having to get dress all over again wasn't the most pleasant of experiences. Ezekiel needed to visit him soon in order to get a new costume. The ebony emerged from the back of his hotel's offices. When he wasn't patrolling for his work-study, he was here, at the Insula Avallonis working as the Assistant Front of House manager. He'd hoped to one day own his own brand of hotels and restaurants using the funds he'd receive from his hero duties. There were many heroes who partook in business ventures. Some were celebrities. Others acted in their own television shows and movies. Hell, his favorite rapper managed to become one of the top 10 heroes of the United States. Being a famous hero opened plenty of doors for business ventures. But for now, Ezekiel found himself assisting the wealthy in their everyday trials and tribulations. Work went on as usual. Waves upon waves of people. Complaints and problems from the floor to the ceiling. When Ezekiel wasn't saving the day, he was still, saving the day. Finally the young hotelier found a second to breath. "I'm going to be in the back for a few minutes." Ezekiel called out. "Yeah, I already took my break so have fun!" His coworker said cheerfully. Ezekiel made his way to the break-room and found a couch to collapse on. Eight hours a night scouring the city followed by eight hours of sleep. Then another eight hours at his job...He rarely found time to himself. But it didn't matter. He enjoyed this life. He loved fighting and bringing joy to the world. His lowered eyes looked to the television mounted upon the wall. "A intense fire blazed throughout the night at the New York of Scientific Advances." The news reporter continued on. Her pink blouse highlighting her voluptuous body. "The up-and-coming supserstar, the Red Hot Hero: Scoville, arrived on the scene shortly and made light-work of a fire which several firehouses and tens of other water quirk users struggled with." Ezekiel rolled his eyes. "There were also talks of another hero embracing the scene. The mysterious man known only as the Fiendish Hero!" The woman caught his attention once more. He watched as a small rectangle overtook the screen. It appeared as if this was the recording of several different bystanders using their phone to record. He watched the shaky recording with a cheeky grin. "Approximately eight feet tall with bat-like wings. This monster of a hero was seen breaking into the intense flame and saving the remaining scientist without the assistance of another hero. This is another in a string of incidents where this mysterious hero has appeared. If anyone has any information, it would be greatly rewarded." "I wonder if I can cash in on my own identity." Ezekiel joked. "Talks of a major railway have started. This railway will connect certain parts of New York to Mexico, allowing for quicker and more efficient trade between the two countries. There have been rumors of Guardian Angel ENG, a leader in Structural Engineering and subsidiary of WorldWide Real Estate, obtaining rights to the construction of this trade. As it stands now, 76% of the governments contracts have been secured by WorldWide Real Estate. And for good reason, as their technology has lead to the development of buildings and railways that can withstand the threat of a superhuman society." That's right, WorldWide Real Estate also owned this hotel. Ezekiel had only seen some of the owners during their visits. They moved with their own entourage and rarely stopped by to speak to the workers responsible for keeping their coffers full. Still, there was one who stood out among the crowd of the super elite. A man, not even ten years older than Ezekiel, who walked with a red cane. His atmosphere seemingly entrancing those around him. "There have been numerous protest regarding the potential deal with WorldWide Real Estate. Rumors of mistreatment of workers and collusion with international terrorist cells have spread throughout the country. The company spokeswoman, Anna Clay, has said that these claims are baseless lies created by competitors in hopes of selfishly hindering their advancement." Ezekiel chuckled. "In other, more tragic news, another group of disappearances occurred. Humans who exhibit the rare transformation quirk or exotic mutant quirks are being snatched off the streets and away from their families to be traded upon the black market." Transformation quirks were the rarest of the three classifications. Followed by Mutant quirks. There existed people who collected humans for these genetic gifts, treating them as nothing more than exotic animals to be caged and traded. It pained him deeply. As one who was blessed with a transformation quirk, Ezekiel always knew that there existed eyes who would want nothing more than to have him chained. Such a life... "The latest disappearance occurred in the downtown area of Houston. The young Alice Walker vanished without a trace as she made her way home. That makes the number a staggering 14 children kidnapped in the last few months alone. This does not include those not reported or confirmed yet." While that hothead was chasing drug dealers and gangsters, Ezekiel spent his nights chasing after human traffickers. They operated mostly at night...which meant they were prime targets for the fiendish hunter. Ezekiel's phone hummed. He retrieved the black touch-screen device and held it up. "Are you watching the news?" Ezekiel smirked. He knew the 17 digit number by heart. A dear friend from his days in that hellhole they called a public heroics school. This kid, now known only by Merlin, was among one of the smartest in New York City. But his lack of ethics made it hard for the New York Academy of Excellence to accept him. Ezekiel couldn't blame them. He rarely asked people for their permission to be experiments. Surprisingly, Ezekiel recently heard that the NYAE finally came around and decided to tame his genius by accepting him into the school. "Yeah, how'd you know? LMAO" Ezekiel pressed send and went back to watching the show. They were showing scenes of the crime. He squinted in hopes of catching any clues that they might've missed. Even television could be useful for something. "Some things'll never change :D!" The young girl seemed to have been abducted in while walking through a park in her neighborhood. A nice suburb which often served as the illusion of security. How many parents were shocked when children went missing or people were being tortured and murder in those places. Yet, something stuck out to Ezekiel. There wasn't a struggle. He thought to himself. "Nothing is out of place. Not even a flower stepped on." Ezekiel chuckled at his friend's observation. As sharp as ever. So nothing out of place. No sign of a struggle. And a reported quiet evening the day before? There existed quirks which manipulated people's minds...Hell, he'd fallen for quite a few just in the last year alone. "I know where she is." "Ezekiel! It's been 45 minutes, are you okay?!" His boss called from around the corner. The ebony hero leapt from his seat and launched himself to the door. "I'm fine...Just not feeling well...I'll stay later tonight I..I just need some rest." Ezekiel pulled out his phone in hopes of answering in time. He should've known that Merlin would've figured it out. This wasn't the first time he pulled a stunt like this. "How?! Ain't you got exams?!" "Ezekiel?" "A lil bit of this a lil bit of that :) Lmao nah those test were super easy. Do you want this?." "I'll be out in about five more minutes." "Shouldn't the authorities be involved?" "They already are :(." Ezekiel's heart sunk. He hated it. But there were certain ugly truths to this world that the public attempted to ignore. And this was one of them. He'd only heard stories about this group. This society of influential men who existed to collect rare species. But to think this would be happening here?! "When's it going down?" "Tonight. Astoria Lot, pier 43. " "Thanks Mer, i'll order you some food after." "There was a GPS ping from the local police station which went dead. They ignored it but of course Merlin managed to catch it.." The devilish hero, Archfiend soared throughout the sky in his transformed state. An eight foot tall humanoid statue made of a stone-like material. His massive wingspan allowing him to pierce through the wind with giant flaps. His eyes scanned the area as he approached the last known area for the GPS ping. A giant lot where hundreds of truck containers were being stored. The perfect area to ship out their prisoners. The towering gargoyle landed atop a nearby building and noted several blinking lights atop the poles of the lot. He leapt off with a powerful jump and swiped at each camera. They'll come out with their security system down. His black rocky skin allowed him to camouflage in the dark. He landed on a nearby building within the lot and awaited for the henchmen to spill out the building. Just as ants do when suspicious activity occurred. ---- Meanwhile, Dylan had been watching from a nearby building. It hadn't been hard to get in here, it had just been a simple matter of bribing one of the traffickers. And then sending him to an address where the rest of the was waiting. But as the rising star of a Hero he was, Dylan had to give it to the traffickers. They had a decent fashion sense. He could see every intricate detail with the usage of his Quirk. He was only in a partial transformation of course, his full transformation was far more eye-catching. However, Dylan's eyes were that of the Raptors, his eyes being able to zoom in via . But then he saw the cameras go out, something had hit them. He couldn't see what, but he didn't have time. People came swarming out, guns loaded. As the lights in the vicinity turned on, Dylan could finally make out what had shattered those cameras. It was another Hero! Archfiend or something along those lines, Dylan had been keeping up with his work. Dylan kept track of all new heroes like him, or those growing at a similar rate. Archfiend was two years his senior, but still a hero rising at a rapid rate. But Dylan had to move now, more and more gunmen were leaving the building, and Dylan knew that Archfiend wouldn't be able to deal with them all. With his eyes transformed, Dylan leaped into the air and towards the gunmen. And by the time he had landed, he had undergone more partial transformations. His right-hand fingers transformed into the talons of the Raptor, and he had grown a tail akin to that of a dinosaur; plated and spiked. "Shit!" one of the gunmen yelled, cocking the gun. "It's him! That Odd-Eye Hero! Drago!" Without so much as a word, Drago's tail struck. It wrapped around the gunman, swinging him around into the others, before throwing it like a bowling ball through a wall. Bullets were shot towards Drago, but he brought his tail up, the plating taking the blows. He briefly turned to Archfiend, giving a nod in greeting. "Hey, hi. Sorry 'bout this. Meanwhile, shall we get this started?" he asked, before turning back to fight the countless gunmen that made their way towards the Professional Heroes. "This was mine." Archfiend spat, extremely annoyed at the reptilian busy-body barging into his own task. He growled at the Odd-Eyed hero, completey unfazed by the bullets bouncing off his stoney body. This served as a prime example for why he hated teacups. Especially with vibrant personalities such as Drago. Still this help meant that he could scour the area thoroughly in search of the missing people. But rather than argue, Archfiend decided to dash into the fray. He moved with elegance and sudden speed despite towering over the brainless criminals. His body swung rapidly as he struck them with his wing, sending several flying into nearby containers. He pulled his claws against non-vital areas, sending blood spraying across the ground. His talons transformed deadly kicks into fatal strikes as he tore through the crowd. Drago and Archfiend were night and day. Archfiend fought to maim. To bring them the justice they deserved without the chance of a faulty system letting them free. Surrounded by wounded men in puddles of blood, Archfiend noticed something odd. Thanks to his unique as a creature of the night, the fiendish hero noticed something amiss with a nearby lock. As if someone was attempting to push the door outward. "Drago, the containers! We have to get the containers open!" Archfiend screamed. He launched himself to the nearest container and pried it open. His massive arm sending the door slamming into nearby henchmen. The darkness covered the missing people from two weeks prior. "T-theres more!" One managed to scream. Archfiend leapt off that container and aimed at another. Repeating the process but this time much more violently. How many do they have dammit! As Archfiend moved to break the containers, Drago dealt with the gunmen. They were nothing more than fodder, so he was able to move around freely. He had ignored Archfiend’s earlier statement of this mission being his. There was crime going on, and this guy cared about who this mission “belonged” to? Then the other Hero said something important; that they had to open these containers. Drago let his legs transform into those of his Raptor form, using his tail to slap around the gunmen closest to him so he had space. “'Raptor Rush'!” the hero exclaimed. The leg muscles pulsated for a moment before he took off at breakneck speeds. He ran along the fronts of the containers, letting his tail slice through them. All but one. As Drago came to a halt, he turned his attention towards the remaining gunmen. “Raptor Rush!” he exclaimed once more, ramming through the crowd to send them flying. Once there was nothing but limp bodies laying on the ground, Drago turned back into his complete human form, bringing his attention to all the children. The man clenched his fist with anger. What kind of sick person would want to do this to children? “Is everyone okay?!” Drago yelled. Archfiend realized that the dinosaur obsessed hero missed one final truck. One which the largest of these thugs seemed to rush to. He took only one henchman with him as unneeded protection. Leave the rest of them to our attention and escape with the most important container. "Drago, you deal with them I'll be right back." Archfiend barked back. He leapt off the ground and gave chase to the escaping truck. A sharp turn. His towering body swinging in pursuit without losing an inch. I could derail them right now but that might hurt the children. Even blowing the tire could mean a catastrophic crash. The fiendish hero made several sharp corners and cut through a cut alleyway, curling his wings around his body and spinning so that he would twirl among the wind. Meeting the truck on the other side of the block. No...I'll let you lead us to the people in charge..This'll be the largest bust in history! I gotta think fast. Archfiend pulled out his phone and turned on the location service. His wings flapped rapidly as he jumped onto the back of the truck. A powerful thrust, and his massive arm tore into the door. The screams of scared inhabitants drowned by the rushing wind. But it wasn't the devilish face he'd wore but a second before. No. A chocolate skinned man peered inside. "Don't worry, I'm a hero!" Ezekiel shouted. "You gotta help us!" A kid screamed. He peered into the inside with a smile before tossing his phone to the blonde haired kid who pleaded for his help. "I'm going to. I just need you to watch this for me. Do not let anyone near that phone!" "B-but." Ezekiel looked into the hole and noticed that the kid wore a T.S.J shirt. A future hero! He knew what to do. He even felt more at ease with the kid there. "I know you're scared. But that's what being a hero is. Acting despite fear! Trust in me. We will save you all." Ezekiel looked the kid in the eye and returned a silent nod. The wings, which remained on his back, flapped open. Catching gigantic burst of wind. Hang on kid. Ezekiel thought to himself before heading back to Dylan. The first step of his plan now completed. By the time Archfiend returned, Drago's team had arrived. The Kingdom Hero Agency was revered amongst the Hero Agencies in the States, and while he wasn't leading it, he aspired to have the mantle turned to him once he became a higher-ranking hero. They tended to the children, observing their wounds and offering snacks. "Archfiend!" Drago called out, still in his human form. He walked over to the other Hero, doing a quick two-finger salute in greetings. "Don't worry about that fifth container, I left it alone on purpose." he began. "I ran by it, but I placed a tracker on it. It'll lead us to the big fish." "And I know, I know. It's a risk. But sometimes we gotta take risks. And according to my tracker, they're still on the move. So if we get a move on, we can deal with 'em." Drago stated, laying out a plan. "We observe, find out where it leads to, call for backup to eventually join us, and while we wait for backup; we attack and save those kids. Sound good?" "At least I can say you're thinking right." Ezekiel, once again human, said with a sigh of relief. "But i doubt whoever is behind this will bring the truck all the way to the base of their operations. Its too big and conspicuous." Ezekiel looked to the other heroes of the agency. He relieved offers from some of the more prominent night based agencies of New York. But he preferred to work alongside of his own ragtag team. His teacher who managed to become the number 8 hero and Merlin. They were all he needed in this world. "We find the location using your tracker and then my phone will bring us the rest of the way." The ebony hero, although confident, could feel himself wanting to act on his own. To abandon this boy wonder knockoff and chase down this trail. But...heading into the hornet's nest would mean having adequate backup. "Though we need to scope the area first. None of that rushing in, you dont know what type of fail safe methods are placed on those kids to keep them shut. You need to be more responsible. Cut the showy heroics!" “Don’t try and tell me how to be a Hero, bud.” Dylan responded. “We’re both our own Heroes, we save people in different ways. I’m not some fool, I don’t just jump in.” he continued. He checked his watch, a holographic map manifesting above it. “What do ya think I was doing before you came up and started to cut down the security cameras? I wasn’t sittin’ up there with my thumb up my ass.” he teased. One of his fellow heroes from the agency ran over, holding a burger. They passed it to Dylan before going back towards the kids, guiding them towards transport vehicles. It was no ordinary burger, it was loaded with caloric supplements. With Dylan’s Quirk, it exerted a high amount of energy. As such, he had to consume a minimum of 500,000 calories within three days. Dylan turned back towards Ezekiel and sighed. “But…I understand your concern, pal.” he said, almost apologizing. Almost. The Hero tossed an earpiece over to Ezekiel, before placing one in his own ear. The man walked away, towards his . He hopped in, igniting the engine. “I’ll follow them via vehicle. You don’t mind taking sky surveillance, right?” Without waiting for a response, Dylan zoomed away in the car. “Keep up though. I wouldn’t wanna leave ya behind, Archfiend.” "Tch." Was all Ezekiel could let out after taking the earpiece. This was why he hated teamwork. Especially between two heroes who've never met before. Regardless, he placed the earpiece into his ear and looked upward. A full transformation would be too noticeable. And besides, he wanted to practice localizing his transformation. Hell, even this showboater of a hero was able to bring about certain aspects of his quirk while remaining human. As much as he loved full transformation, it proved quite troublesome to get into tight spaces. And so, with a deep breath, he attempted to perform the feat he'd just done before. Albeit the lack of emergency brought upon by chasing a truck filled with kidnapped children made this quite difficult. He could feel his quirk localizing to his back. The dark skin transforming to the stone-like composition. Seconds later, two gigantic wings ripped through his shirt and blazer. His clothes were specially made to grow with his transformation. Yet the focus upon his wings lead to them tearing into his clothes. As much as he loved them, he was still satisfied with this new development. He leapt into the sky and began to soar as free as ever. The tracker on Dylan's wrist showed that the truck was moving quickly towards Queens. Nowhere near any sort of distribution outlet. No, the truck moved into the city and began making its way towards only place. One of the largest towers in the city. The Insula Avallonis Mission Impossible Noah Patricks was utterly confused about what transpired outside. One second they heard gunfire followed by people screaming. Then the truck burst into life before speeding off. The last thing he saw, an ebony man peering into a hole which he ripped open before tossing him the phone. The others within the containers were visibly shaken by the chaos. But Noah knew he needed to remain calm. A hero was someone who acted despite fear correct? So when the truck finally came to a stop, he quickly scrambled to place the phone into his pocket. They'd clear out his pockets and bag the day they captured him. They wouldn't think to search him again. The container's massive doors shot open to reveal the garage of some building. The gray walls told him that this was where things were often dropped off. A giant man, who he came to learn as Mad Dawg, appeared alongside what he figured to be a new batch of henchmen. "Come on!" He barked. "Can't keep tha business man waiting." Noah noticed the little lynx girl crying and bent over, walking alongside her towards the door. "Don't worry. That guy from earlier was from my agency. We're gonna get out of here." ---- As Dylan came to a halt a few blocks away, he was somewhat surprised by where the container had arrived. It was one of those fancy buildings. He always thought of those buildings as shady, but he was still always surprised when it turned out that they actually did hold some sort of importance to villains. "So, Archfiend." he began, pressing the button on the side of his earpiece. "Any plans on how we take on this situation?" "You should know what this mean." Ezekiel said with a certain annoyance. "This is the Insula Avallonis." He replied, pressing the earpiece simultaneously. "It seems like there's more to this than we originally thought." This was true. To think that the source of this hellish night would be his own job. How could he even go about this? Hell. No one he worked with knew about his life as a hero in training so he didn't worry too much about recognition. But still...Why? What's going on here? Ezekiel pressed his earpiece once more. "Let's meet at the coffee shop nearby." "Yeah, sure thing." Dylan replied. He parked his car on the curbside, hopping out of his car and clicking his keys to lock the vehicle. The closest coffee shop Dylan could spot was a few blocks away, so he quickly jaywalked across the streets to get over there as soon as he could. He took a seat by the window side, waving a waitress over. "Could I get an Iced Coffee? Extra-Large, if you've got it." he asked. The waitress nodded, jotting down the mans order on her notepad before walking away to fetch his order. Now, the Hero waited for Ezekiel to make his way over. Ezekiel entered not too long after. He waved to the barista, a woman he'd seen hundreds of times before. The ebony man was a tad bit late for he needed to change his outfit. His previous shirt and blazer were trashed by the massive wings which erupted from his back. So he went to the nearest store and brought a pink dress shirt as well as a black sports coat. Ezekiel made his way to Dylan's table and sat down, a waiter bringing his usual order as well. A hot chocolate with whipped cream. "Your tracker stopped moving once it entered the Insula Avallonis. But..." He pulled out his own cellphone and laid it before the odd-eyed man. "My GPS locater is saying that they're being brought up to the 50th floor. Which is the Roundtable Ballroom. The most expensive and exclusive event space down south." Ezekiel's own hazel eyes met Dylan's. His face twisted in stress and confusion...with a hint of horrific understanding. Dylan nodded. "Rich people are weird, what a surprise..." Dylan murmured. But he understood what this meant. Some of the richest people alive were most likely participating in this trafficking ring. But why? "Alright, how're we gonna do this?" "We can't just barge in there. Plus, our quirks makes us potential victims to these guys as well." Ezekiel rubbed his chin. "I can get us access to the auction. From there, we split up. One of us goes looking for the victims and the other serves as a decoy." A nod. "That's the best thing we can do. I can look for the victims," Dylan began. "Once I transform, I can carry more of them at a time and get out quicker. I'll bring them to my team and rendezvous with you to be backup. Sound good?" "Ha!" Ezekiel chuckled. "Admitting that I'm stronger?" A playful tease. The ebony hero stood up and readjusted his navy blazer. Ezekiel started towards the door without waiting for his makeshift partner. He knew what type of people were at that event. He'd seen them during his previous shifts. Read their mysterious memoirs. They had money. Power. Influence. But even worst, they lacked the strength to restrain their demons. Which meant the world would suffer at their fingertips. Still, this is what a hero does, Isn't it? My Plus One "Hey Ezeki-" A woman called out from behind the desk. "Sorry Claire, but I'm actually here to help with banquets upstairs." Ezekiel interrupted. "W-wait your friend-Your friend is!" Of course! The Dinosaur Hero born with two different colored eyes and white hair! Anyone could spot him out of a busy crowd. This was why Ezekiel hated modern day heroics. So flashy. So showy. You can't even do a proper B&E without someone recognizing you from a mile away. "Oh! This is Dwayne." Ezekiel snapped. "He's a huge Drago fan. After this event, we're going to a cosplay event in SoHo. I'm going as the Devilish Hero: Archfiend!" "Who?" She asked. Genuinely curious. A low-blow to Ezekiel's pride. Dylan smiled. He hadn't been expecting to go through the front door, but Ezekiel insisted they did. He had expected someone to recognize him, so Dylan wasn't caught that off-guard. He slung an arm around Ezekiel. "He's a pretty underground hero," he began. "He's not too shabby, can really hold his ground." he turned to face Ezekiel, a cheeky grin on his face. "Form could use some work though." Dylan faced the woman with a welcoming expression of his own. "I know it's a bit unorthodox to be dressed like this. But Zeke and I couldn't risk being late. Zeke really likes the whole furry thing they do there sometimes. He didn't want to be late for the exhibit." "Anyways, ya mind letting us up?" If only looks could kill! But...that was the nicest thing any other hero had said about him. And Ezekiel knew that the dino-brat meant it. A warm smile melted onto his visage as he slammed his elbow into Dylan's ribcage for that little furry remark. Either way, they had an important task to attend to. "O-oh of course!" Claire answered. Ezekiel could feel the thirst radiating off of her. Yeah he could swoon girls too if his quirk didn't make him look like a 15th century demon. "And you're still covering for me tomorrow Zeke?" "Maybe!" Ezekiel responded. Pulling Dylan into the back office where he lead him into a massive elevator. The door dinged before closing. R. And it began its timely ascent to the Roundtable room. "Furry?" Ezekiel growled at Dylan. "You're hilarious." He rolled his eyes. Sinking into a friendly smile. "The room covers the entire top floor. Glass windows revealing the entire New York skyline, y'know if we need a quick escape." "When we get there, I'll find a way to cause some chaos. Meanwhile, you have to sneak into the back and find the children. They're probably being held in the empty space behind the stage. I'm sure whoever is behind this has top of the line security. So be careful." Dylan laughed, giving a playful wink at his friend. "I do try to be a funny guy," he began. "Though I am sorry if I exposed your furry thing to the girl. She seems like a keeper." Dylan continued to joke with Ezekiel, a smile on his face. But as Ezekiel slipped into talking about the mission at hand, Dylan sobered up. There was very little time to fool around when it came to a rescue mission. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text, telling his team to be on standby. Focusing back onto Ezekiel, Dylan nodded. "Understood. Be careful with the causing the chaos. If you're ever in a pickle, don't be afraid to slice at their knees." Dylan said, offering some advice. As the elevator continued to rise to their destination, a playful smirk appeared on Dylan's face. "When ya go in there, say something snarky for me." he said. "Something about room service." Ezekiel chuckled. "Hm. I think I have the perfect line." Ezekiel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. HIs body suddenly expanding and cracking. Hardening. Darkening. Becoming stone-like. Ears sharpening and teeth becoming rows of sharp fangs. His black hair disappearing beneath the growing rocky head. What was once a 5'11 hotelier stood a eight foot tall Gargoyle. Two massive wings erupting from his back. Timed perfectly. His transformation took all but a second. The crucial second before the door opened. The remains of his sexy outfit littered on the ground around him. He kneeled down. Ding. Wind exploded behind him as the door opened. The initial force of his thunderous dash sending scores of masked men soaring across the room. His body twisting midair as he kicked and slammed his clawed arms against the fragile scoundrels around him. Tables breaking. Glasses crashing. Yet, in the chaos, he was careful not to kill anyone. No matter how much he wanted to. "W-what the hell is going one?!" A man roared. "Security!" "Help!" Another added. An orchestra of pleas. Begging that the Devilish Hero will spare them their lives. Archfiend stopped. His stoney body shining bright from the lights above him. A fiendish visage as his mouth twisted into a gruesome grin. Is it bad I'm enjoying this? "The service charge is included with gratuity in the bill!" Archfiend roared happily. "Thank you for dining with us!" "Fire!" A rain of guns before him followed by a thunderous blast of gunfire. Hundreds of bullets bouncing off his stoney skin. Some called him a master of battle. A defensive and offensive power fused into one devastating quirk. He approached the gunmen. Unfazed by their puny weapons. They took a step back for each inch he gained. Until suddenly dispersing. "Oh?" Archfiend smiled. "W-what do you want?" A fat man appeared from the crowd. "This is a private event!" "I want you to pay." Archfiend growled. "You, who hunt the innocent, should learn what it feels like to be hunted!" "Shock Blast!" A voice roared. It came from a nearby man who wore an oversized suit. Special security probably. Archfiend jumped into the air and avoided the oncoming surge of lightning. He reoriented his body and dashed onto the man. Grabbing onto his neck with his massive claws. "Get off him!" A nearby woman ordered. Several tables started floating. Another one? Archfiend tossed his victim into an oncoming table before slicing the next three with his talons. He dancing in between a barrage of fiery blast. Carefully moving the nearby scum out of the way of certain death. Of course Dylan got the easy job. Ezekiel moved, and Dylan got to work. His legs began to grow scales and transmutate, becoming the legs of his Red Raptor form. Power coursed through them and he burst off, running rapidly towards the children. The tracker was still active. “Oi, stop!” Dylan looked down the hall. A group of men stood, guns drawn. Dylan smiled. He always enjoyed this part. The sound of a shirt tearing was heard as his tail burst out, and Dylan ran against the side of the wall as the bullets whizzed past. He slammed his tail into the men, sending them catapulting down the hallway. He leaped off the wall and began to complete his transformation. More and more scales, jagged spikes and horns began to emerge. Within a matter of seconds, Dylan was now in his fully transformed state. His senses began to work overtime, peering through walls with heat vision. Eventually he found the children. The guards assigned to watch them ran at the sight of Drago. He couldn’t blame them. “D-Drago!” one of them exclaimed. “You’re here to help!” Drago looked towards one of the windows. Then back to the kids. He’d be able to fit them all on him, that wasn’t a worry. “Climb on,” Drago said. He kneeled down towards the children. “Be sure to hold on.” Once everyone was secure, Drago checked the distance from the window to the next rooftop. That should be doable. Hopefully. Drago charged towards the window, the children digging into his scales to keep their grip. He slammed his head into the window and leaped, glass scattering off everywhere. The kids screamed with fear, but Drago only focused. He landed, staggering forwards a bit, but a successful landing nevertheless. As if it had been timed, a helicopter flew towards them, the heavy winds almost pushing him back. Once the vehicle landed on the roof, Drago allowed himself to kneel so the children could hop off. From the chopper, Drago’s team made their way over. They secured each child and began to lead them towards the exit. “Drago, catch!” one of his teammates yelled. She tossed over a pair of boxer shorts. Drago caught them in his mouth and nodded. He turned back around and jumped back into the building. With his heat vision active, he could see the mess of chaos that Ezekiel was in. The only thing that stood between them was a series of walls. Drago’s legs clenched for a moment, before he blitzed forwards using Raptor Rush. He crashed through the walls like they were styrofoam, and once in the heat of it, he leaped. Clouds of dust filled the room. As Drago landed, he reverted back to his human form and slipped on the boxer shorts before standing back up. He let his scales cover him partially, giving him his Raptor tail, legs and claws. Drago looked around, a cheeky smile on his face. “Anyone order room service?” "Really? I already gave a badass snap." Archfiend growled at Drago. In the corner of his eye, he saw the famous helicopter of the Drago hero agency flying off. Meaning that the overgrown salamander managed to do his part of the bargain. The kids were safe. The floor littered with the bodies of mercenaries and rich scumbags. They won't be getting up anytime soon. Plus the police should be arriving any moment now. Maybe they should take this chance and escape- "Well. Well. Well." A voice emerged from atop the stage. A man emerged from the curtain. Dressed in a suit worth more than the hotel his company built. His face obscured by the shadow cast by his fedora. Only a blue ponytail hanging from the back. Archfiend knew this man. "Scott Beauregard." Archfiend growled. He remained on guard. This man was dangerous. More dangerous than any of the super-powered scum he encountered before. Mr. Beauregard snapped his finger. A subtle command that reverberated throughout the room. And tens of armed guards exploded from behind the curtains. Others bursting through the doors on the wall. Flanked by various villains. Everything from small-time gang members to a massive, muscle covered barbarian. Archfiend recognized some of his makeshift guards. Even the man known as Mad Dawg. "No reason to be so violent." Beauregard started. "Ya coulda just raised ya hands if ya wonted to participate." He spoke with a twang from down south. A thick accent which drowned his words. Creating an ironic paradox with his ensemble. "So you're the one behind this?!" Archfiend's eyes narrowed. "You think this'll be enough to stop us?!" "Two of tha top up-and-coming heroes in one room?" Mr Beauregard chuckled. "Of course not. But...I was wonderin' if ya were interested in a deal." Dylan flexed his claws, raising his tail defensively. "Deal? You've got nothing going for you right now, Mr. Beauregard. Archfiend and I can take down your guards and then you. You will be brought to justice." he spat. "Don't make this harder on yourself." Beauregard snapped. Several armed guards stepped forward with a blonde boy. A young student from the nearby Marvel School. Archfiend growled. But neither Drago or himself possessed the speed or miraculous power to save the child before they emptied to clip into his back. They had fallen into the Business Man's game. "Justice?!" Beauregard laughed. "I got half of those who fight for justice on my payroll somehow. But this ain't about me. I came out here for a different reason." Archfiend knew what he said was true. When heroics became a popular method for people to make a living, it exposed something that should've remained pure to corruption. He might not directly possess influence over the heroic world...but this man knew people who did. And they owed him favors. "Ya see, my organization is one of collectors. Transformation users and mutants are quite rare. They're like albino animals!" Beauregard yanked the boy's sunlight hair. Pulling his face into the light. Revealing a painful wince that brought Archfiend's heart into his stomach. "I brought this boy for a pretty penny. He can turn into light, I figured would look nice in a room of crystals. But then," Beauregard let go. His sinister eyes resting on the two heroes. "Two new additions ta this little auction came barging in. A of an ancient time as well as a being of . A living flashlight ain't nothing compared to you two." "What do you want dammit!?" Archfiend screamed. His wings flapping with enough strength to send several tables flying. "An offer. A deal. Like I said before. I trade this brat in fa one of ya two." Drago hesitated at the sight of the civilian. Fuck, this wasn't how it was supposed to go down. Beauregard must've kept the boy with him while he had evacuated the rest. Clever bastard. But Drago had to save this kid. What kind of Hero would he be if he didn't save someone in need? Drago began to think of a plan of attack. "Archfiend, we can't take the deal." he began. "But we will save the boy." "Of course." Archfiend smiled. He appreciated Drago's positivity. The upbeat nature. This was probably why everyone knew and worshipped him. Drago had already accomplished what Archfiend wished for. But could they really reach him before they unloaded several clips into the kid? "What's stopping us from-" "From accepting the deal and then killing me?" Beauregard interrupted. His hat rose to reveal his golden eyes. Piercing through the darkness cast from his hat. "While I'm a man of my word, I expect a Gentleman's Agreement to suffice. A simple shake of tha hand. That should be enough...you guys are the heroes afta all." Archfiend lowered his eyes. Such a simple tactic? "Fine." Archfiend answered. He looked to Drago, silently communicating a plan between the makeshift team. Drago’s legs tensed, as if he was ready to move. He had caught Archfiend’s glance, and despite knowing him for so little time, Drago trusted him. With that look, he knew what was going on through his new friend’s head. Drago stared into Archfiend’s eyes. “You feeling ready for this?” he asked.Drago’s legs tensed, a Archfiend smiled. "Since I woke up this morning. " A slight joke. But the tension of the situation felt like the air itself turned into butter. Regardless, the stony demon made his way towards Beauregard. Careful not to impose any sort of threat to the armed Business Man in fear of it being misconstrued and costing the blonde kid his life. "Ooooooo I get tha demon. I like." Beauregard teased. "Yeah until we rip your heart out." Archfiend growled. "Feisty. Anyway, I have places to go and this event is absolutely ruined. Plus I'm sure tha cops are on their way." Beauregard tipped his heart. "Archfiend.,I offer ya this deal. You will serve as my bodyguard and hunter. To do my bidding when I give you an order. Never to disobey. Serve me as you would a master. And I will take the best care of you. Do we have a deal?" Beauregard's voice painted the picture of the man deviously smiling beneath the hat's shadow. Archfiend hesitated. This was too easy. His heart racing as he stood inches away from the man. He looked down at the business man's arm. "I....I accept." His giant claws completely wrapped Beauregard's hand. But the more he tried to pull away from the Business Man, the harder it became. Until his grip seemed unbreakable. Stronger than the towering demon who ripped cars apart. Archfiend's spine burned. His skin suddenly smoking and seconds away from erupting into flame. Words traveling from the Business Man's arm and crawling up Archfiend, who fell to his knees. The fuck...is going on. Archfiend thought to himself. "The deal is complete. As a man of my word, heres tha brat." Beauregard grabbed the kid's hair and tossed him to Drago. Drago leaped to catch the boy, setting him down across the side of the room. The hero was alerted by the steam rising from Archfiend. What had happened? Archfiend seemed to be in pain, just with a single handshake? Some form of super strength? Drago couldn’t leave the boy alone, he didn’t trust him. In his little agreement, Scott never once mentioned the safety of the kid. His tail wavered above him defensively, like a scorpion preparing its tail to strike. “Archfiend,” Drago began. “Are you okay?” "I-I'm fine." Archfiend said with a smirk. "Takes a lot more than this limp handshake to stop me." The kid is safe. Nothing could stop them from taking care of one of the worst criminal organizations to date! He quickly launched himself to his feet. Sending a troubling haymaker at Beauregard. Hoping to cave the man's face in with a single blow. Yet he couldn't. His body froze right before the punch connected. Leaving him like the statue he took after. No matter how much he fought. No matter how hard he tried. Archfiend couldn't find himself to strike the man down. "What the fuck did you do to me?!" Archfiend spat. "What type a bodyguard does his client harm?" Beauregard said with a bit of slyness. "Ya signed a contract. And ya tryna go back on it so soon?" Archfiend tried to slam his other arm against the man's neck. All to no avail. "Now...let's take care of these two. The cops should be here soon. You'll make a good face for this little escapade." Drago raised his brow, crimson scales brimming off of it. “Archfiend!” he called out. “His Quirk is something thats made you unable to hurt him. I don’t know how, but be cautious.” In a swift movement, Drago used his tail to wrap around a pillar, launching a chunk of it barrelling towards Beauregard’s face in order to create distance between his friend and the villain. "Protect me." Beauregard smiled. Those two words. It felt like lightning had struck through Archfiend's heart. He immediately jumped into action. Smashing through the pillar with a mighty blow. Beauregard only patting off some dust from his expensive suit. Archfiend growled. He'd been had. How could he let something like this happen?! "Ya know what?" Beauregard smiled. "Why don't you take care of ya little friend and tha brat. The rest of us will get outta here. When ya finished, head ova to the Golden Roll couple blocks down. I'll have Mad Dawg meet ya and escort ya to ya new home." "Fuck! You!" Archfiend screamed. Trying everything to strike his spiritual captor. Frozen once more. But this time, he struggled as he fought the urge. The pull to launch himself at Drago... "That is my order." Beauregard nodded and turned away. "Oh, and Drago, count lets keep tonight secret." His goonies lead Beauregard him to the elevator while the others made their way to the stairs. Archfiend bit his lip. Taking several reluctant steps towards Drago and the boy. "Drago." The only thing the rocky demon could utter. “Archfiend…” Drago murmured. He got into a defensive position, his muscles still tensed. “You’ve got to fight this!” His tail flittered around. He couldn’t let the boy get hurt. But Drago didn’t want to hurt his friend. “Fight it!” he exclaimed. “I don’t wanna do this…” "You couldn't even if you wanted to!" Archfiend joked. He took another step. His claws glaring in the light of the destroyed room. "Archfiend!" Patrick screamed. "Why...why did you agree?! You could've took him down befor-" "I couldn't risk you getting hurt." Archfiend said with a giant smile. Another step. "But..." Patrick "It's the same reason you got captured trying to save that little girl." "H-how'd you know?" "We went over the security footage after raiding their compound." Archfiend sighed.. "You go to Marvel?" "Y-yeah." "Then let me give you this one lesson. The romanticization of heroism will do you more harm than good. You weren't ready to sacrifice your life for that girl." Archfiend's eyes lowered. "Which is understandable. But heroism is sacrifice. Its fear. Its leaving the house everyday not knowing if you're coming home or if the people you love will be able to defend themselves long enough for you to return." His wings opened. Those were the words spoken to him by his own mentor. And now...now when all hope was lost they finally made sense. "That's what makes heroes special. Right Drago?" Drago nodded. “Heroism isn’t what they make it out to be in the movies. It’s hard and gruelling. But we do it to see people smile. To see them happy,” he said. “And for that, we’d die. Be it for a single life or many lives. The people are the priority.” “For example,” he continued. “Patrick, run through the holes in the wall. On the next building is my team. You’ve been trained enough at Marvel to the point where you can get over there. If you stay here, you’ll be a liability. I need to help Archfiend.” Drago got in a pouncing position, like a lion prowling through the grass for a hunt. His claws dug into the ground, his talons ready to kick off. And his tail remained at the ready, like a rapier ready to pierce through anything if needed. His heterochromatic eyes gleamed against the sun’s rays bouncing about the broken glass. “Guess we’re gonna miss your furry con, eh?” he teased. "And I was just about to give you on hell of a compliment." Archivi smirked. He looked to the blond child and nodded. "Don't worry. Consider this your first field training." Patrick wanted to help. Archivi saw that much. The poor kid must have felt so weak. So powerless. He could see the tears falling as he ran towards the hole in the wall. But that meant he would come back stronger. However, there was something more pressing to attend. "Now that the kid's gone...I can finally get this out my system." His body, despite the towering stature, jumped at Drago. His massive stony arms slamming down in an attempt to smash through Drago's infamous defense. "All the heroics aside, I think I made a mistake in accepting that deal. That bastard has some kind of hypnotism based quirk...I can feel his influence deep inside me." Yet even in this desperate situation, Archivi spoke with a playful smile. "I'm not leaving this building a hero, Drago." Drago quickly raised his left arm, the stone-covered fists of Archfiend slamming against the crimson scales. Like sharpening a blade with a whetstone, sparks were ignited. The ground beneath Drago cracked, his friend packed quite the punch. “You’ve got a point,” the hero began. “It’s not your fault, we were unprepared. Its on me.” With that, Drago went to send a heavy uppercut to Archfiend’s jaw, with the same claws and fists that tore through steel like butter. But he knew his friend would be able to take the blow, he had confidence. But still, Drago was upset with the whole situation. The loss of a hero. Surely, there had to be a way to make it work. He couldn’t think of it quite yet, so he kept focus on the predicament ahead of him. How was he to incapacitate his friend without fatally wounding him? "We were unprepared but it's on you?" Archivi snickered. Taking the heavenly blow square to the jaw. But the stoney demon regained his balance and twisted into a round house kick. Sending his massive leg forward with enough force to shatter the glass behind the two. Archivi wanted to think about this situation...about what it meant. No...he needed to focus. "I wanted to be the hero." Archivi yelled. "Always working alone...I wanted the attention of heroics. This is the result of my own arrogance." His voice hardened. "But I won't let this stop me. and I definitely won't let you shoulder this. Not alone at least."